Dauda Lawal, governor of Zamfara, says peace negotiations that allow armed groups to retain their weapons only postpone violence and erode the authority of the state.
Lawal spoke on Wednesday while delivering a lecture to
participants of the Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC) 18 at the
National Institute for Security Studies (NISS) in Abuja.
In a statement, Sulaiman Bala Idris, the governor’s
spokesperson, said the lecture was titled: ‘Non-state Actors in Security
Management: Issues, Challenges, and Prospects for Peace and Development in
Africa – A Zamfara State Perspective.’
The participants, according to the statement, included
officials from Nigeria’s security agencies and counterparts from Chad, Ghana,
Rwanda, Somalia, and Gambia.
Lawal said the forum offered a chance to reflect on
Zamfara’s experience, which mirrors broader security and development challenges
across Africa.
He noted that Africa’s security landscape has evolved over
the past two decades, with the monopoly of force once held by the state
increasingly contested by non-state actors.
“The idea that the state has exclusive control over the use
of force is being challenged by community vigilantes, civil defence groups,
insurgents, bandits, and transnational criminal networks,” he said.
The governor added that the crisis in Zamfara stems from
years of social and economic grievances, resource competition, climate change,
and proliferation of small arms caused by regional conflicts.
“When we assumed office in 2023, we made it clear that
security of life and property remains the essence of governance,” he said.
“Effective security management cannot succeed without the
active participation of the local community.”
He said Zamfara’s approach rests on three pillars: stronger
coordination among security agencies, the creation of Community Protection
Guards to support law enforcement, and improved intelligence sharing among
traditional rulers, local councils, and security operatives.
The governor added that peace committees were set up across
all local government areas, including emirs, imams, and youth leaders, to
mediate disputes and rebuild trust.
“We also partnered with the Office of the National Security
Adviser and international partners such as Colombia on preventing and
countering violent extremism, focusing on rehabilitation and trauma healing,”
he said.
Lawal warned against what he described as “unregulated peace
efforts” in parts of the north-west, saying true peace requires disarmament.
“Dialogue can aid conflict management, but reconciliation
without control equates to surrender,” he said.
“Allowing armed groups to keep their weapons while setting
peace terms only delays violence and compromises state sovereignty.”
He added that peace initiatives must be strong, coordinated,
and state-led to restore public confidence in the rule of law.
“Sustainable peace arises when armed actors acknowledge the
rule of law and the government’s capacity to protect citizens,” the governor
said.
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